Rangers and Marlins have reportedly agreed to a deal that will send corner infielder Jack Burger Head to Texas for three prospects. Miami acquires infielder Max Acosta and Echidri Vargas and pitching prospects Brayon Mendoza.
Berg adds an affordable bat to deepen Texas’ lineup. Surprisingly, the Rangers offense has struggled this year. Texas’ team batting average is .238/.305/.380, ranking in the bottom third of the league. They rank 18th in points scored. This is a far cry from the championship-winning lineup in 2023.
Berg, 28, could step into the middle of the order. He hit 29 home runs in 579 games with a .250/.306/.460 slash line. The former first-round pick hit a total of 34 long balls in 2023 between the White Sox and Marlins. Jose Ramirez and Corey Seager Ranked 15th in MLB.
Berger, a right-handed hitter, is more of a one-dimensional slugger than many of his peers who rank high on the home run charts. His batting average over the past two years is .250/.305/.488. Berger had an above-average strikeout rate and didn’t draw many walks, but he produced tremendous power against both left- and right-handed pitchers. He is a career .244/.298/.496 hitter against left-handers and a .253/.308/.478 slash line against right-handers.
Berger spent most of his career as a third baseman, and in 2024 he split his time evenly among the corners of the infield. His size limited his mobility. Berger’s defensive performance at first base in nearly 500 innings was roughly average. While he’s not a starter at either position in Arlington, he’s a safe bet at both positions. third baseman Josh Jung Battling a litany of injuries. Nathaniel Lowe Has a strong durability record, but there’s no guarantee he’ll stay on the roster all year. The Rangers could consider trading Lowe, whose arbitration salary is expected to be $10.7 per year, if their budget is tight after committing to retain him at $25 per year. Nathan Eovaldi.
If they hold Lowe, Berger will be the first choice at designated hitter. This would keep Rangers Wyatt Langford in left field, while Evan Carter Can slide to midfield and push Lady Taveras To the bench. That seems to be the goal for general manager Chris Young and his staff. Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News wrote Wednesday night that Texas has reached out to the free agent DH Jock Pederson. Now that Burger is on board, that’s less likely to happen.
Berg has been under team control for four seasons. He was five days short of the deadline and qualified for early arbitration as a Super Two player. He will be paid close to the league minimum for one season before getting his first significant paycheck next offseason. That’s clearly attractive to teams in Texas, whose luxury tax is projected to be around $219MM (courtesy of RosterResource), a little more than $20MM less than the base threshold. They’re reportedly looking to avoid tax, and with multiple holes in the bullpen still needing to be addressed, Burger’s affordability is a big plus.
From Miami’s perspective, it’s another move to bring the lineup more to the liking of second-year director of baseball operations Peter Bendix. Former general manager Kim Ng decided to acquire Burger before the 23-year deadline. Bendix likely never fell for that image, as he comes from a Rays front office that placed a heavy emphasis on infield defense and versatility.
Acosta, 22, made Miami’s 40-man roster. Texas optioned his contract last month, making him ineligible for the Rule 5 draft. The Venezuelan-born infielder hit .288/.353/.425 with eight homers in 434 games with Double-A Frisco. He is a senior contact hitter with minimal power. Acosta has experience at both center infield positions and could be a utility option in the near future.
Vargas, who turns 20 in February, spent the entire season with Low-A Down East. He posted a .276/.321/.454 slash line with 14 home runs and 29 stolen bases in 97 games. Vargas’ approach to the plate is very aggressive, but the combination of power and speed is a considerable advantage for a player who has been at shortstop so far in his career.
Mendoza is a 6-foot-0 lefty from Venezuela who had a good year in the lower minor leagues. The 20-year-old posted a combined 2.32 ERA in 101 innings. He struck out 26.3 percent of batters while limiting his walk rate to 6.4 percent. While Mendoza doesn’t get much publicity, he looks like a potential southpaw.
The Rangers are acquiring Berg for three rookies, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. FanSided’s Robert Murray was the first to join Acsota. MLB.com’s Christina De Nicola has the Vargas element, while ESPN’s Alden González has his first look at Mendoza. Image courtesy of Image.
